Category: Reviews

The Portland Press Herald has reviewed Noble Barbecue,

I’ve waited and waited for the day when Portlanders would finally get to experience truly excellent pulled pork. Now I think I’ve finally found it. This is no slap in the face to other places around town that put out perfectly fine pulled pork. But the pork at Noble Barbecue, the new restaurant on outer Forest Avenue, is on a whole other level. It’s tender and incredibly juicy. It’s aggressively smoky. And there is plenty of bark.

the Portland Press Herald has published a bar review of Little Giant, and

Little Giant is looking to be the West End’s one-stop shop for good food, great drinks and carefully curated sundries. The newly opened restaurant component will be sure to add a little hipness to the Danforth Street lineup.

Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed the Roma Cafe.

I think Roma will stand with the big boys in the Italian food scene here in Portland. They are a little more on the traditional side than some, but their classic food is strong. Their atmosphere is warm, service friendly, and they offer a pretty comprehensive selection of traditional favorites. I’m confident they’ll be a very welcome addition to the food scene in this city.

Wall Street Journal editor Polya Lesova has written about here eating trip to Maine for The Australian.

She mentions: The Holy Donut, Eventide, The Lobster Shack, Long Grain, Suzuki and The Lost Kitchen, Vena’s Fizz House, Young’s Lobster Pound, Beal’s Lobster Pier and MDI Ice Cream.

I wake up hungry. Fortunately, I am in a town that is able to satiate a big appetite. My husband Paul and I have flown to Portland, Maine, from New York late the previous night for a five-day road trip up the coast. We want to savour the state’s spring beauty, hike some seaside trails, dip our toes in the still-icy Atlantic. But mostly we plan to eat. 

The Portland Phoenix and Portland Press Herald have reviewed Chaval,

Caiola’s may have brought elevated dining to the West End 12 years ago, but Chaval has redefined the concept of what a neighborhood restaurant in Portland is capable of being today. If month one is an indication of things to come, Sansonetti, Lopez and team are here to stay. [Phoenix]

The Blueberry Files has reviewed Cong Tu Bot,

The bun cha was also a hit, a base of vermicelli noodles with pork patties and fresh vegetables on the side. I opted to combined all of the dishes into one. Bun cha is a dish of contrast: fatty pork against fresh herbs, soft noodles cut by crunchy peanuts and fried onions, all deeply satisfying.

the Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed Mini Mogadishu,

Since opening late last year, Mini Mogadishu has found its groove preparing a limited menu of homey, halal Somali classics – favorites of chefs and co-owners Nimo Saeed and Halimo Mohamud…When you visit, be sure to order the vegetarian Somali aanjera, which consists of golden brown, crepe-like pancakes used to scoop up mouthfuls of gently spicy, tomato-based Somali chili; a bowl of savory slow-simmered brown lentils; and tangy, sautéed spinach tossed with puréed jalapeño peppers and lime.

Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed North 43,

In the end, North 43 Bistro didn’t blow me away, but they weren’t bad either. Their service was friendly, but it was a little on the slow side. My drink was good, but my wife’s lacked flavor. Our food was mostly good too, but my cheese – cooked in or not – was too sparse to be included in the name of the item. I’d go back, but probably after they have a little more time to get going. The restaurant is only about a month old and I believe they’ll improve. Except for their location. That’s just about perfect already.

the West End News has reviewed OhNo Cafe, and

My BLT was delicious. It seemed a clever idea to feature shrimp. And the ingredients held-up well on the substantial roll. My friend’s choice: not so much. While he enjoyed his meal, he thought that the mild flavor of the crab cake was lost in, and dominated by, the bread.

The Golden Dish has reviewed the Roma Cafe,

The chicken parm was one of the best—no, make it the best—in Portland. The veal Milanese was also admirable with its fine coating of crisp breading with a touch of lemon. Really everything was lick-your-plate-clean good. And those meatballs were the real thing: rich, tender, large orbs of meat in a hearty tomato sauce with perfectly cooked spaghetti.

The Golden Dish has reviewed Rose Foods,

And those bagels are a thing of beauty! In the wild wacky world of bagel mania, few bagel bastions have surpassed the classic New York or the Montreal bagel. But after the first bite into Conley’s house-made version, it’s safe to say that he has given us The Portland Bagel—wholly unique and distinctive but authentic as well. At first chew through the crusty exterior what’s revealed is a soft center, chewy, plump and delicious.

Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Little Giant,

ABVs new venture won me over. We didn’t order lots of food, but what we had was excellent. Their drinks were top notch, cheese ball ab fab, and the burger and pasta both killer. I agree with their coasters that say “If you like good food and nice people, you’ll love Little Giant.” Head there now so I can say “I told you so.”

Portland Magazine has reviewed North 43 Bistro,

Local mussels surprise and delight the moment we dip into their rich broth in the bowl. There’s shaved fresh fennel in the wine-and-shallot beurre blanc, cleverly accented with caramelized nuggets of smoky andouille sausage. With this great combination, Chef Brown has made a common shellfish starter into something to return for.

Portland Phoenix has reviewed Baharat,

Baharat’s gorgeous cocktails promise still more compelling juxtapositions of flavor, like the turmeric, cucumber, and the chickpea foam on their rye whiskey Curcuma Sour, or the curry and carrot in the gin-based Garden Party. In fact, one flavor dominated each, tart citrus and sweet carrot respectively. Still, they were nice — as were several of the very reasonably priced wines, like an earthy blend from Lebanon.

The Bollard has reviewed Babylon,

The list of entrées doubles as a geography lesson — you’ll notice how Levantine cuisine has blended with Indian influences to the east. Along with the expected shawarma and shish kabob you’ll find chicken tikka and biriyani. The Iraqi kebab plate is similar to kebab dishes served at Lebanese and Syrian establishments: a pile of fragrant rice mixed with raisins, onions and peas alongside expertly grilled meat, with a side of fresh, lemony salad. Get this instead of the Iraqi plate, which is the same dish, but served with plain saffron rice.

Condé Naste Traveler has included Maine’s Portersfield in their list of ciders “that fits into the contemporary dialogue of food and drink while echoing sentiments of yore.”, describing Portersfield as, “vibrant, region-specific ciders is wild Maine fruit that’s been cultivated from heirloom apples”.

Congratulations to chef/owners Krista Kern Desjarlais and Sara Jenkins for their two Maine restaurants, The Purple House and Nina June, being included in the Bon Appétit 2017 list of the 50 Best New Restaurants in America.

Bon Appétit will name their choice for top 10 (aka the Hot 10) on August 15th. Check back then to see if either of our home state favorites is selected.

The Portland Phoenix has published a set of reviews of Lazzari written by students in the Telling Room’s Week in Review summer class,

After ordering tomato and basil, pancetta and onion, and margherita pizzas, our group chats a little until our food arrives after about 10 to 15 minutes. It is hot and ready to eat. Everything fits together into a masterpiece of a meal. The black pepper gives the pizza a kick, and the fresh mozzarella melts in my watering mouth. The dessert was vanilla ice cream served in an espresso cup, with shaved mint and dark chocolate on top. I love a good dark chocolate taste, and this one is heavenly. Every taste and every bite at Lazzari bring back memories of being at a streetside cafe in Rome as the beautiful Colosseum towers in from of me. The food is soon gone.

The Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Lazzari,

Lazzari was outstanding. Each part of our meal – drinks, app, and pie shined brightly. All three were perfect summer dining and so good, I would order them in the middle of a snowstorm too. The service was excellent and the overall atmosphere quite enticing. I can’t think of anything at all that was subpar. Go to Lazzari for basic pizza? No, go for an exceptional dining experience.

As the Lobster Rolls has reviewed Boone’s, and

he best part of the lobster roll was the delightfully grilled bun and the side of very tasty, tangy potato salad. No really, that’s the only nice thing I can say about the experience. To think this lobster roll is just about the same price as The Beach Plum. There’s absolutely no comparison.

I often recommend Boone’s for its location and food. I’ll continue to do so… I’ll just steer folks clear of the lobster rolls.

the Press Herald has published a bar review of El Rayo,

While a little bit smaller than the old spot, the new-ish El Rayo on Free Street has lost none of its personality or quality. Stop by for the same margaritas, Micheladas and killer happy hour you remember.

The Portland Phoenix has reviewed Cong Tu Bot,

Hủ Tiếu Xào was especially impressive, a dish of stir-fried rice noodles with scallions, “many chilis,” peanuts, daily vegetable and brown sauce. The dish is numbingly hot up-front, while sparing the back of the tongue to some extent and calling to mind the “Ma La” dichotomy characteristic of Sichuan cuisine. The caramelized noodles are unlike any I’ve had in Portland, with a depth of flavor highlighted by the aggressive usage of spicy chilis. Fresh raw cucumbers and cilantro add a cooling foil to the heat, which is tamed only by taking generous swigs of Tiger lager.

Map & Menu has reviewed Chaval,

On our first trip (of what is sure to be many), Meredith and I changed it up a little and shared the coq au vin dinner for two. The red wine braised chicken was absolutely outstanding, and will be hard to beat for any future meals. With a bar program headed up by renowned Portland bartender Patrick McDonald, we added a delicious Aperitif Dunhill and a Spanish G&T; and as is the case with any dinner where Ilma is in the kitchen, we saved room for dessert – the decadent churros with hot chocolate sauce and salted sugar. Yes and please.

As the Lobster Rolls has reviewed Portland Lobster Company,

Definitely, don’t let this review sway you from visiting Portland Lobster Co. It’s a great spot in Portland’s Old Port and since this lobster roll was voted Best of, I feel like maybe there were just having an off day. They could’ve been short-staffed, their bun toaster might have called in sick… I just find it hard to believe that this is the quality of lobster roll that everyone is getting.

The Golden Dish has reviewed Sonny’s,

…Swordfish el pastor is wrapped up with guajillo, pineapple puree, fresh pineapple, onion and chipotle mayo; then an eggplant taco masa-battered and wonderfully puffy and crisp encased the eggplant with chili de arbol, in a salsa of raisins, capers and cucumber. These were two of the best tacos I’ve had anywhere in Maine.

the Press Herald has reviewed Sip of Europe, and

From the moment fork met mouth, my taste buds felt as a symphony was being played just for them; it was glorious. It took every effort I could muster to not inhale this marvelous creation without stopping to savor every flash of succulent flavor, but I managed to slow myself down enough to truly appreciate every morsel of this incredible crepe. Could I have eaten two of them? Sure, but was the one enough? Also yes.

Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Noble Barbecue.

A first bite of my actual sandwich produced a more pleasant experience than the solo chicken. On top sat a big pile of curtido – a cabbage relish of sorts. That and the cojito cheese added nice flavors while the plantains gave some crunch. I enjoyed the sandwich overall and found the mole along the lines of what I generally expect of it.

Southern Living has declared Salvage to be Maine’s best barbecue.

You may be in northern New England, but from the moment you walk into this Portland gem, you’ll feel Southern-style hospitality in the air. Operating inside of a former salvage warehouse, there’s plenty of space to spread out. And after the Meat Coma (¼ ribs, ⅓ lb of both pulled pork and brisket, along with a bowl of chili and two sides), you’ll be particularly grateful. Don’t skip the sauces. They run the gamut from mild Carolina-style to four-alarm vinegar.

The Golden Dish has posted a first look review of Chaval,

Rarely does a new restaurant get it so right at the gate. But then when you have two pros—a highly acclaimed chef and pastry chef, in this case husband and wife who are the owners of the new establishment, Chaval, then the level of success is nearly assured. With Chaval’s opening this week after a renovation of the former Caiola’s in which it’s housed, this duo has brought to Portland one of the most exciting restaurants in the city set to pamper those who cross its threshold.

Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed East Ender,

With the table soon full of empty plates, we called it quits. We were a happy brunch bunch and I was sure I’d be back to try the dinner menu at some point. The meal tab for my wife and I came to about 30 bucks before tip. I left smiling and Mrs. Portlandeater noted her approval, so all was well. If you’re looking for some Sunday morning or afternoon goodness, take a trip down to East Ender. There are no lines and the food is both interesting and sure to please.

The Blueberry Files has reviewed Scales,

Like I said, while dinner at Scales is not inexpensive, it is certainly worth it. Be sure to make a reservation, as like most restaurants in Portland now, it’s popular and difficult to get a table without planning ahead. And consider happy hour in the bar/lounge area, where the full menu is available and you can still enjoy the ambiance and great service.